River East music teacher one Kula customer

Country star Bamford on hand to honour dedicated instructor

River East Collegiate music teacher Jeff Kula (right) and country artist Gord Bamford are shown. Kula won the MusiCounts teacher of the year award on March 26. Photo Store

Kathy Andersson knew when she nominated Jeff Kula as the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award, the result was never in doubt.

Kula, a longtime River East Collegiate music teacher, was honoured at a ceremony at the school on March 26. Kula received two $10,000 cheques from country musician Gord Bamford — one for himself and one for the school’s music program — at the school-wide assembly. He also took home an official Juno Awards statuette.

River East Collegiate music teacher Jeff Kula (centre), country artist Gord Bamford (left), and MusiCounts director Allan Reid (right) are shown. Kula won the MusiCounts teacher of the year award on March 26. (PHOTO BY DAN FALLOON) Photo Store

Bamford glad to give back

Canadian musician Gord Bamford was thrilled to be able to recognize a hard-working and dedicated music teacher in Winnipeg when he presented River East Collegiate’s Jeff Kula with the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award on March 26.

Through the Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation, the Lacombe, Alta. product has committed $100,000 to the MusiCounts program over the next three years, $20,000 of which was given out at the ceremony.

“Giving back is what we do,” Bamford said. “Our events back home started with a golf tournament and it’s just exploded. It’s given us the chance to be a part of this MusiCounts opportunity — I look at it as an opportunity — we love what they do and we want to make sure we support them long-term.”

Bamford, who was born in Australia but moved to Canada as a child, said during the presentation he struggled in music class. However, a musician who coached him in sports leagues encouraged him to keep going. Bamford called upon his fellow musicians and others in the industry to contribute to grassroots music programs.

“Music’s very healing. I’ve seen first-hand how it impacts lives, and kids in school, not everybody wants to play hockey or baseball or ringette,” he said. “It really makes the brain work in something that’s really important.

“It’s people like Mr. Kula here that step up. I’m sure he spends a lot of time after his school hours are out dedicating time to music and all sorts of things. That takes a special individual.”

Other artists, including Celine Dion, Anne Murray, The Tragically Hip, Michael Buble and The Rolling Stones have sponsored the award over its nine-year history.

River East Collegiate music teacher Jeff Kula speaks after being announced as the MusiCounts teacher of the year on March 26. (PHOTO BY DAN FALLOON) Photo Store

"I knew hands down he would be the recipient if I put forward the nomination," Andersson said. "When I mailed the application, I talked to Mike Hurley, the manager of MusiCounts, and I said ‘You need not look any further. On your desk, you have your teacher of the year.’

"A few days later, he called me and said ‘You were right.’"

Andersson’s daughter, Maria, is pursuing a career as a music teacher after seeing "astronomical" improvement in her saxophone and flute-playing under Kula’s tutelage.Andersson and members of the MusiCounts team acknowledged there was a ruse at play – though Kula knew he was nominated, MusiCounts drafted up a fake rejection letter to leave Kula entirely unaware of the purpose of the assembly, which was announced to students only as having a theme of "respect."

Kula acknowledged after the presentation he was completely in the dark when it came to the announcement.

MusiCounts director Allan Reid said while almost all nominees were deserving of the award, there was just a little bit extra in Kula’s nomination that put him over the top.

"This is a man who, on weekends, will drive around and pick up reeds for the kids and drop it to their house so they can practise," Reid said.

In the award’s nine-year history, it’s the first time it has been awarded to a teacher in the city hosting the Junos, allowing the impressive presentation to be held.

Kula already has a pretty clear idea of how the $10,000 for the school could be well spent, with the student population set to boom in 2014-15.

"We have Grade 9s coming into the program for the first time, so that’s a whole inventory of horns we have to get going," Kula said. "We’ll put it to good use for sure. It’s very much a blessing."

In Kula’s 15 years at the school, he has seen the concert band grow from 42 to 110 students, and under his direction, the jazz program has attended the Essentially Ellington competition in New York five times and received the Jazz Award at the 38th Annual Optimist International Band Festival in 2013.

"The festivals and accolades are nice, but what happens on a daily basis is where the important work is," said Kula, who has taught for 27 years overall. "We’re just trying to have the kids do the best they can and work with that."

Kula, who plays drums in country cover band Pop the Trunk and for local musician David James, said he’s a fan of Bamford’s, and since he was set to receive the VIP treatment at The Juno Awards, hoped to find time to jam with the country star.

"I’ve heard his stuff for a long time and I’m very much a fan of what he does, so this is fun," Kula said.

River East had received a $10,000 Band Aid grant from MusiCounts last year, when the organization gave $610,000 to 70 schools.

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